West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-12-08


inc nicely, and your boots. even il n
little large, will be better than these.
Have the goodness TO be seated on my
old coat, and we will assist you in rcmov-
ing them; we are experienced valets.n
To have observed the face of Mr..
Edgar Wood now, you would have
thought he was engaged ihR frul:c. lie
used to say, in telling his story, that he
felt all through the performances as If he
wee being jokcd by friend
And now continued the ladron.
'we will trouble you, Senior Wood, TO
pass oat your vaise, il you will be so
obliging"
Mr.. Wood hesita,ed for the first time,
and looked around, but there was no
mercy; the muzzlcs of three pieces looked
into his eyes, while he replied: ''Ncry
well, gentlemen, if you insist. lie
handed out the heavy valiSe. which was
taken aside 10y the McNicans, while the
EDglish-looking thief kept guard at the
stage door. When the precious cargo
was removed TO short distance from its
owner, the sentinel muttercd to him in
English: '1f yoI give me two thousand
dollars, unseen, from your belt, YOU can
save the rest; otherwise, I'll fix every
dollar you've got"
Mr.. Wood felt sure he had somewhere
seen the face, of which the mout!, and
chin were exposed, bnt il he suspected
the truth, he kept il to himself, and
quietly handed over the money to the
man.
In few minutes, the nearly empty
val sc was returned, and the party badc
the traveller adicu, and wished him
safe journey. In his disagrccable fix
he could only ride till he met the return
stage, and go with it to the CAPITAL.
under the shelter of a shawl lent him by
sympathetic lady among the passen.
gers, with whom at noon, hc entered
the patio, from which he had so exult.
ing'y sa!licl in the carly morning.
The idle populace, rs usual, rushed
In with the stage, and messed the dis
comtiture OF the American. as he dartcd
across the pavement TO the nearest
entrance Of the hotel, and made his way
to his room.
When Mr.. Wood emerged thercfrom.
he made his way to the English bank. 10
deposit the papers saved in his belt, and
there encOun cred the sc ,Ond surprise of
the day The teller who received and
credited him with the amount was the
morning; but he had no beard. nor
could Wood recall that me had ever seen
him adorned with that symptom of man.
hood. 1t was impossible that he should
be LtdrOR-his position in the bank.
his easy, seli-posscsscd manner, not
bIazcn, but natural and innocent. No.
il was mistake.
The next day, there beng several
Il,
Cruz, Mr.. Henry Yorkc of Wood 81 Co.
was dispatched with them in the morn
ing stage. lie went well armed, and
had the name of being a lighting man.
But, as yet, no crowd OF Mex can pas.
scngcrs has frightened n band Of robbers
from its enterprise, and so, at sunrise.
lorkc discovered two small squads of
horscmcn bearing down on the stage
from opposite directions.
There are six Of them, he said, "and
we are nine men, with only one woman.
Are to fight, gentlemen, or shall we sur
rendcrr
"McNicans never surrender" cried
one of them. "We will fight to the last
drop OF blood"
"Yes, always" answered the other
eight.
81 shall be killed; oh, l shall be
killed .' shrickcd the frightened woman.
ave shall defend you, sonora, they
declared. The horscmcn drew near.
All were moskcd and armed One party
asscd the coach, wheeled, and instantl,
returned. Meanwhile, Yorkc sprano
from the stage, which had stopped. an
calling to his fellow. passcn -ers TO ioir
him, fired his rifle at the nca est Of tho
gang and killed him. He then began
discharging his revolver as they clio cd
in on Inn, and, looking about for his
companions discovered them all i'm their
seats, palid spectators Of his reckless.
ness. In another instant n pistol ball
struck him down.
Evidently, the Ia 'ro ,cs had only con
tempt for the Mcxicans, for they rode
directly forward to the fallen American.
whose body they mcrcilcssly hickcd in
pieces with their sabrcs, for warning
TO all who resisted their robberies.
The entire treasure Of Wool g. Co.
was taken from the person OF Yorke and
his yalise; and the passengers, the lady
not excepted, were robbed OF every
article thcJ possessed even TO their
outer clothing.
When the stage, returning, entered
the patio Of the Hotel Iturbidc, with
the body OF Mr.. Yorkc. il was met by
Wood, 60 whom the lady passenger dc.
clared that his partner had been Killed
by an Englishman OF tho band. whose
lower face was ruddy, narrow and thin.
ending in q little shadowy beard: that
he had reached into the coach, and sho,
GorkC in the back, through the open
doorway Of the opposite side, as he was
firing rapidly at tho gang. and that. as
he withdrew his head, his beard dropped
from his chin, and she had secured it,.
At ten o'clock that morning he went
TO the English Bank with the woman.
and presented n check FOR payment AS
the teller laid down tho money he saw n
little wod Of beard on the counter.
picked it up, and, looking at it, curiously,
said "What is thisF At the Same
moment Mr. Wood discovered that his
companion trcmblcd violently. and was
becoming a'aumingy pale, and lost mo
time in leaving the ank
The woman was sure Of the identify
of the man, and would listen o. no 30 Al
biiity Of her mistake As for Mr.. Edgar
Wood, nc was Confoundcd, but he di /
the customary thing. and set an English
detective on the track of Mr.. Carlos
Watfls, the teller Of The English Bank
OF Mexico.
The next payment went 20 the Inc I'm
charge Of n apaymastcr and q mounted